Have you ever visited a place that just felt like home, even though it wasn't? A place where you can unwind, relax and leave the day to day struggles behind. A place to make memories and laugh with your kids without having to worry about school or work or all the little things that bare down on us.
For me, this place is the Smoky Mountains. Every time my tires hit the Sevier county line, I feel like I'm back home. I see that beautiful mountain range come into view and all the worries of life fade away and my only concern is where to focus my attention first. 
Mammoth Cave National Park is well known for its beautiful caverns and caves, but did you also know there is a two-hundred-year-old church on the property as well as several bike and hiking trails and even a fishing hole at the end of a long, dirt road? Come along as we explore the depths of the beautiful bluegrass state and see what all the buzz is about.
Hidden at the end of a long and winding country road in Huntsville, Alabama sits Harmony Park Safari, an epic two-mile drive through nature preserve. Open daily March thru November, Harmony Park Safari is a must see for anyone who loves animals or wants to learn more about them. This would make an awesome homeschool field trip or just go for fun, either way, this is definitely a fun day trip you won't soon forget.
Wonderworks is 35,000 sq ft of pure "edu-tainment". What was once a top secret lab, located in the Bermuda Triangle, is now a huge center full of family fun and tons of things to explore. As soon as you walk in to WonderWorks, you can tell it's like nowhere you've ever been before. WonderWorks is perfect for older kids as well as the little ones. It is filled with tons of great info and really cool facts and would make an amazing homeschool field trip, just make sure you come early enough to get it all done. With the laser tag and rope course, you could easily spend all day there. (which we did)
Truth be told, any kind of getaway is amazing, but there's just something about getting away to your own private vacation rental. Hotels are great and can offer a lot of fun things to do, with a family, but can you imagine waking up to a spectacular view, from your private deck & hot tub, every morning, while on vacation?! Your morning coffee even tastes better when you enjoy it in a tranquil setting like this. (this has not been scientifically proven {yet})
If you're looking for something free to do while in Gatlinburg, TN, I highly suggest taking a leisurely drive down the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. The winding roads throughout he nature trail are very narrow, but the views and the beautiful flowers & trees made it all worthwhile and there are tons of great backdrops and photo opps for family pictures.
Gatlinburg Falls is the largest cabin rental agency in the Smokies, boasting over 460 cabins, in various locations throughout Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville and Wears Valley. They were even voted #1 family resort in the Smokies, by "Southern Living" magazine. Whether you need lots of room for your kids to spread out or it's just you and your significant other, Gatlinburg Falls has you covered. They have everything from a cozy 1 bedroom cabin to a monstrous 18 bedroom Smoky Mountain mansion with a price point to suit every vactioner's wallet.
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Situated right in the heart of Pigeon Forge, TN sits the beautiful RiverStone Resort and spa. The RiverStone is a full service spa and resort all in one. With luxury suites and a full sized golf course, the RiverStone is the premier vacay destination of Pigeon Forge. Sip coffee on your private patio overlooking the golf course in the morning then spend the rest of your day in the lazy river or at the spa or the attached gameroom.
With every kind of aquatic life you can think of, the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies is a great way to spend the day making tons of new memories with your family. (and you can throw a little bit of learning in there too, each exhibit has lots of cool facts and tidbits about the animals)
We are a family of five and in order to take all of us on a family vacation, even a short one, requires lots of planning and finding the best deals and money saving short cuts I can find, but it is totally do-able, with these simple tips.
First, you need to define your meaning of the word, "vacation". To me, vacation is. . . time away from home, spent with the family, doing things you wouldn't normally do; relaxing, not arguing, eating meals at the same time, at the same table, laughing, relaxing... Did I already say relaxing? 
Located in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains, in Sevierville, TN is The Wilderness at the Smokies resort. This facility is the largest of its kind in the area and boasts over fifteen different floor plans for every size family & budget. As soon as you pull up to the massive Wilderness facility, you can tell it is unlike anywhere else you have ever stayed. Between the indoor water park and the dry adventure center, Wilderness is by far one of the best family getaway spots in the south.
If you're looking to kill a couple of hours with the family, you could check out Old McDonald's mini golf in Pigeon Forge, TN. I haven't played mini golf since I was a teen, but it was just as much fun as I remembered, (minus hubby and the eldest's super competitive nature) It's freakin Old McDonald Mini Golf, not the World Cup, but whatever, we still had a blast and made a ton of memories... and I snapped some really cute pics too.
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